Imaging and Management of Scoliosis-Related Low Back Pain in Adolescents and Adults

Background/Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a clinically relevant symptom in adolescents and adults with scoliosis, but its relationship with curve magnitude is inconsistent, and curve measurement alone therefore cannot explain symptom burden or direct pain management. This narrative review examines imaging findings and clinically plausible mechanisms of scoliosis-related LBP, considered separately for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, adult idiopathic scoliosis, adult degenerative scoliosis and adult spinal deformity, and their implications for management.

Methods

This narrative review was conducted and reported with reference to the SANRA quality domains. PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched between June and July 2026, with database-specific search strings, search dates and record yields reported in full. Study selection was performed by the first author and reviewed by the co-authors, without independent duplicate screening or formal risk-of-bias assessment.